Microskills News

Microskills Students settle with the School

Chris Bader told us on September 17, 2008: Microskills settled yesterday, they are going to pay out approx 185k to reimburse students. With other fees/fines they are paying a total of 300k.

Rodney Savedra tells us that "former MicroSkills students can contact their local government reps by going to: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html and typing in the zip code for the school, which is either 92121 or 92126. The zip codes splits right in the middle of Miramar Rd.
Also, for any students that were on extensions and still trying to get their student loans discharged, please contact Susie Lorden at the Attorney Generals office. Let her know what steps you've taken and what the results have been. While she can't force the lenders to discharge your loans, she can speak to them and try to get them to fully understand the situation the students are facing. Her number is:
619-645-2087"

BPPVE Not Helping Microskills Students

Eduardo Sanchez wrote to us to say: Last year I submitted all of my paper to BPPVE & STRF I never recieved any response from them so called them a Rep told me that the office that handed all of this cases was closed and gave me a phone number to call I did but never recieved any feed back from them, later I file a complaint with the Attorny Generals office and they said keep trying long story short. Can you guide to my refund thank

We urged him: If the state is not providing the service that you deserve, you should contact your State Assembly member or senator to follow up with the BPPVE. You paid your STRF and have rights so make sure that you demand them.

Brown Sues to Aid Swindled Students

May 07, 2007

A shuttered San Diego vocational school was sued Monday for allegedly bilking students out of millions of dollars in tuition for computer classes that were not delivered, according to a joint lawsuit by California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. and San Diego District Attorney Bonnie M. Dumanis.

“Students are saddled with enough debt going to school, and it’s outrageous that they paid for classes that were never taught,” Brown said.

“The school’s owners failed to give refunds and misled students, causing hundreds of complaints to come in to our consumer protection unit,” Dumanis said. “Thanks to the efforts by the attorney general and our office, these students will get their money back.”

The suit, which seeks millions of dollars in fines and restitution, accuses the owners and operators of MicroSkills of charging students about $25,000 in tuition and of closing the San Diego campus without refunding students. The suit accuses the owners and operators of soliciting students to enroll even as the school was going to close October 20. “Defendants continued to sign up new students and receive payments from students for such training during the time defendants intended to close their school,” said the lawsuit, filed in San Diego County Superior Court.

As many as 350 students were affected, and the suit alleges the company falsely promised refunds would be provided for any classes not provided.

“I was trying to better myself and instead this turned out to be a big downfall and now I’m in debt,” said 28-year-old student Kevin Schatte. The Spring Valley resident lost more than $21,000 in tuition.

California law requires when a private for-profit vocational school closes it must refund, within 30 days of closing, tuition for all classes that were not provided. MicroSkills and its owners failed to provide either partial or full restitution.

The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction, restitution of tuition to as many as 350 former MicroSkills’ students of approximately $2.5 million, and civil penalties of at least $2 million.

The suit targets Firouz Memarzadeh and Farah Memarzadeh, husband and wife of La Jolla, the Memarzadeh Family Trust and others.

This site is devoted to providing information about vocational computer education, especially certification training. Based upon experiences in San Diego, you will find information that is applicable to computer training schools, wherever they may be.

About San Diego Computer Training Schools

Here in San Diego, California, for years various educational institutions have told us of the benefits of getting A+, MCSE, CCNA or other computer certifications, computer education or computer training with them. Microskills, ITT-Tech, New Horizons and Laptop Training Solutions have been amongst the most visible of these computer training vendors.

In fact for a short time I worked for the Microskills I.T. vocational schools but before, during and after my brief tenure, I was very suspicious of the actual benefits gained by those students who locked themselves into big education loans and slaved for many hours to grab some elusive computer certification and an even more elusive "high paying" computer job in the field of information technology. This site may repair some of the damage done if indeed these colleges are hoodwinks, ripoffs, scams or con artists.

Before we get started, if you have a web site and would like to link to this site, please do. Our Link To Us page says what to do.

If you have attended a computer training centers and feel it is has benefited you, or you have been ripped off, please contact us.

Life After Microskills

Microskills has closed, but there remain many other technical schools who can help you in your computer career. The San Diego Computer Training Schools site has many of them listed. Check them out. Research is free, and can save you money. As one former Microskills student told us, if he had known the information on this site before he enrolled there, he never would have enrolled.

Microskills Student Continuing The Fight

My name is Misti and I am one of the many victims of the micro-skills closure. I am currently working with many students on the steps we need to be taking to protect ourselves and the money that was invested into this school. Unfortunately many of us spent a lot of time and energy fighting this thing in the beginning when it initially happened, and got little results from our efforts. This left many of us burnt out and frustrated. The problem is that now is when the battle is really beginning. If you are interested in getting the facts you need and don't want to search endlessly on your own....then join our team! We have many of the answers already and we are always looking for more. If you are interested in joining us, simply contact me at 760-504-6189 or send me an email at conjermis@yahoo.com

How San Diego Computer Training Schools Web Site Started

I am a former employee of Microskills. I had some issues with the way that they did business, and I spoke up about it. Shortly afterwards I was fired. I sued the company, and that case has recently come to a close so I feel at liberty to discuss the case and some of what transpired before I left Microskills. You can read about it at the Microskills Court Case page.

Legislation relating to students recovering their tuition.

Cal State San Marcos Offers Help

Coleman College steps in to save the day? (Tuesday 10/24)

In response to rumors, Coleman College was contacted and this is the response from Ida Kelly there:

Our president is trying to get approved from thes state to transfer Microskills students to our school. By next next week we will find out.
I will notifiy you by phone or email for any updates.
Thanks
Ida

Students Vandalizing Microskills Location

This was received from the property manager for the complex. Remember, Firouz doesn't own the property any more, and it is a crime to damage property.

I totally understand everyone's frustration with the closing of Microskills. However, Microskills was merely a tenant and not the owner of this particular location. A few students have taken it upon themselves to take their frustrations out physically on the building. Damages to the building will only create additional expense for the Landlord who is not affiliated with Microskills. Thank youCathy

Please keep coming back to this site. We hope to have some advice for former Microskills students, many of who have now had their immediate hopes of a career in IT destroyed. Many Microskills staff will have lost their livelihoods as well.

Check our links to the left for more advice and alternatives.

An Open Invitation to San Diego Computer Training Schools

If you have incontrovertible evidence of the demand for your IT graduates, and proof of placement of a substantial majority of your graduates in "high paying computer jobs", please forward it to us, and we will place it here and remove all other content from the site.

This invitation is issued on January 28, 2005. The clock is ticking!

We have never received any response to the above invitation. We do know that some schools are upset about this web site though.

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